Workplace Wellness

August 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A lot of us have to work, but how can we stay healthy while on the job? Take a look at this article from MoveForwardPT in order to help improve your posture and mobility at work! If you’d like to see a physical therapist today, come visit San Diego Sports Physical Therapy in Liberty Station!

Working at a computer work station all day can take a toll on the body. Repetitive activities and lack of mobility can contribute to aches, pains, and eventual injuries.

Sitting at a desk while using the keyboard for hours on a day to day basis can result in poor circulation to joints and muscles, it can also create an imbalance in strength and flexibility of certain muscles, and muscle strain. These issues can be easily remedied by taking frequent short breaks, or “micro breaks,” throughout your day.

Get out of your chair several times a day and move around—even for 30 seconds
Roll your shoulders backwards
Turn your head side to side
Stretch out your forearms and your legs

Additionally, specific guidelines for your work station can help maximize your comfort and safety.
Your chair should have the following:

Wheels (5 for better mobility)
The ability to twist freely on its base
Adjustable height
Adjustable arm rests that will allow you to sit close to your desk
Lumbar support
Seat base that adjusts to a comfortable angle and allows you to sit up straight

The position of the keyboard is critical:

The keyboard should be at a height that allows you to have your forearms slightly below a horizontal line—or your elbows at slightly more than a 90 degree angle.
You should be able to slide your knees under the keyboard tray or desk.
Avoid reaching for the keyboard by extending your arms or raising your shoulders.
Try to avoid having the keyboard on top of your desk. That is too high for almost everyone—unless you can raise your seat. The elbow angle is the best test of keyboard position.

The position of your computer monitor is important:

The monitor should be directly in front of you.
The top of the monitor should be at your eye level, and at a distance where you can see it clearly without squinting, or leaning forward or backward.
If you need glasses for reading, you may need to have a special pair for use at your computer to avoid tipping your head backward to see through bi-focals or other types of reading glasses.

How can a physical therapist help?

Many physical therapists are experts at modifying work stations to increase efficiency and prevent or relieve pain. Additionally, if you are experiencing pain that isn’t relieved by modifications to your work station, you should see a physical therapist who can help develop a treatment plan to relieve your pain and improve your mobility.

Here are a couple of exercises you can do right at your desk!

Desk Exercises

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Bone Health

July 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Whether or not you know this, bone health has a lot to do with mobility! Take a look at this article from MoveForwardPT to learn more about the different aspects of bone health and how to prevent injury.

Physical therapists are experts in improving and restoring mobility and play an important role in ensuring optimal bone health. Healthy bones can help you stay strong and active throughout your life. If good bone health is achieved during childhood and maintained, it can help to avoid bone loss and fracture later in life. For healthy bones, it is important to maintain a physically active lifestyle and eat a balanced diet with plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and perhaps other supplements as needed. Physical therapists can design a unique program for you to help keep your bones healthy.

Osteoporosis is a common bone disease that affects both men and women (mostly women), usually as they age. It is associated with low bone mass and thinning of the bone structure, making bones fragile and more likely to break.

Some people are more at risk for osteoporosis than others. Not all risk factors can be changed, but healthy habits and a proper exercise routine designed by your physical therapist can keep bones healthy and reduce risk. Risk factors* include:

Age: More common in older individuals
Sex: More common in women
Family History: Heredity
Race and Ethnicity: Affects all races. In the US, increased risk for Caucasian, Asian, or Latino
Weight: Low body weight (small and thin)
Diet, especially one low in calcium and vitamin D
History of broken bones
Menopause
Inactive lifestyle
Smoking
Alcohol abuse
Certain medications, diseases, and other medical conditions

Physical therapists can help prevent osteoporosis and treat its effects by designing individualized exercise programs to benefit bone health, improve posture, and enhance core stability and balance. Most of these exercises are simple and can be done at home with no special equipment.
Fight Fracture with Fitness

Inactivity is a major risk factor for osteoporosis. The right exercises and good habits can keep bones strong and prevent or reverse the effects of osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, is an important way to build and maintain healthy bones. Muscle strengthening exercises have been found to stimulate bone growth and can help prevent and treat osteoporosis. These types of exercises are best if started early in life and done regularly. However, it is important to remember that you can begin exercising at any age and still reap great benefits.

If you have osteoporosis, are at high risk for a fall or fracture, or have a medical condition, affecting your ability to exercise, do not begin an exercise program without first consulting your physician and a physical therapist.

Avoid exercises and daily activities, which round the spine, such as sit-ups, crunches, bending down to tie your shoes, exercise machines that involve forward bending of the trunk, and movements and sports that round and twist the spine.
Benefits of Good Balance

Preserving balance and stability with exercises can help reduce falls and resulting fractures. Exercises that improve posture, core stability, balance, and coordination, can also protect the spine against compression fractures. An individualized program may include a walking regimen, Tai Chi, and other exercises geared toward conditioning, balance, and coordination.
Bone Health Begins With Good Posture

Physical therapists recommend good posture and safe movements to protect bones from fracture during daily activities. Using proper posture and safe body mechanics during all activities protects the spine against injury. Here are some tips:

Keep your back, stomach, and leg muscles strong and flexible.
Keep your body in alignment, so it can be more efficient when you move.
Do not slouch. When sitting, keep your spine and head straight. Put a small pillow behind your waist to keep your spine in a good position.
Use good body positioning at work, home, or during leisure activities.
When lifting or bending forward, bend your knees, keep your back straight, bend forward at the hip crease, and lift with your legs. Keep the load close to your body.
Ask for help or use an assistive device to lift heavy objects.
Maintain a regular physical fitness regimen. Staying active can help to prevent injuries.

*National Osteoporosis Foundation

Acknowledgements: APTA Section on Geriatrics

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Pilates for Exercise

July 11, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Pilates may be a good way for you to get fit if you’re looking for exercises with less impact to protect your joints and your body. Here’s an article shared by San Diego Sports Physical Therapy all about Pilates.

The Pilates Method
By Kristen Schott, PT, MPT

Making the decision to become more physically fit is an easy choice to make. The tough part comes when deciding how to go about it, especially in a time where there are so many fitness programs available to us. One school of fitness that requires consideration is the Pilates Method. This fitness program, although gaining relatively new publicity, was created in the early 1900s by Joseph H Pilates. It is a renowned method of improving one’s muscle tone, flexibility, strength, posture, balance, and body-mind connection. Today, some of the basic principles and exercises of the Pilates method are used by many fitness experts and healthcare professionals, including physical therapists.

Historically, the Pilates method has helped athletes as well as injured individuals attain their fitness and rehabilitation goals. It can also be used as a preventive measure to gain postural awareness and core stability which can help reduce the risk of everyday repetitive strain injuries. Pilates is safe and appropriate for a variety of people of all fitness levels as it focuses on engaging the body’s central musculature around the spine, torso, hips, and shoulders. By focusing on these core muscle groups, individuals build a stable base or core from which progressively skilled upper and lower extremity movements are derived.

The Nine basic principles incorporated in every Pilates exercise:

Concentration: focus on the contraction of core muscles and be conscious of the body’s position in space or in relation to its environment.

Control: Maintain postures and positions- outside forces, such as gravity, should not influence or disrupt deliberate and slowly controlled movements.

Center: All Pilates exercises are initiated from proper central or core positioning about the spine and torso and then flow outward to coordinated movements of the extremities. A strong stable base is needed to effectively move the limbs repetitively without injury.

Fluidity: movements are slow and graceful as opposed to quick and jerky.

Precision: focus on obtaining accurate positions and movements.

Breath: utilize full inhalations and exhalations during exercise, never hold your breath while exercising; the body needs oxygen to nourish the tissues of the working neuromuscular system.

Imagination: use visualization or metaphors to enhance movements or to improve body’s response to the mind’s messages

Intuition: listen to your body- if a movement hurts, stop.

Integration: utilize the entire body, (central core and peripheral extremities), as well as the mind’s concentration and visualization to successfully complete an exercise.

Exercises:
These are a few basic mat exercises which target the core muscles of the spine, torso, hips and shoulders. These exercises do not represent the entire Pilates method, but are great for beginners.

Breathing:

Lie flat on back with knees bent, feet resting flat on floor, and arms at side or resting on lower abdomen. Pull torso muscles in and upward while exhaling. Place hands on lower abdomen just below navel and feel a mild abdominal contraction. Muscles of pelvic floor (used for bladder control) should also tighten. Release contraction on inhalation. Repeat breathing cycle 5-10 times.

Pelvic Bowl:

Lie flat on back with knees bent, feet resting flat on floor, and arms at side. Exhale and roll hips under drawing navel to floor and pelvis toward ceiling (keep back flat on floor). Inhale and reverse motion- pulling pelvis to floor and lifting navel toward ceiling. Repeat 5-10 times. Now try side to side- rotate one hip bone up toward ceiling, dropping other hip down toward mat. Imagine that the pelvis is a bowl filled with water sloshing back and forth. Repeat 5-10 times. Now try “swishing the water” in a circular motion, combining all movements. Repeat 5-10 times clockwise and counterclockwise. Return to rest position.

Cervical Nod/Chin Tuck:

Lie flat on back with knees bent, feet resting flat on mat, and arms at side. Using a small motion, “tuck” chin using the motion you would to look at your chest. Imagine a string is pulling from the top of your head to lengthen the vertebral bones of your neck.

Shoulder Flexion and “Angel Arms”:

Lie flat on back with knees bent, feet resting flat on mat, and arms at side. Pull shoulder blades down toward mat (scapula setting). Lift one arm up overhead, keeping opposite shoulder blade against the mat. Alternate arms. Repeat 5-10 times each side. Now try bringing arm out to side and up overhead while setting opposite scapula against the mat. Alternate arms. Repeat 5-10 times each side.

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